


A Secret Admirer

by ShayLaLaLooHoo



Category: Hollywood U: Rising Star
Genre: F/M, Secret Admirer, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, rooftop meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 07:16:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4010773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayLaLaLooHoo/pseuds/ShayLaLaLooHoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Selene Stark had never had a secret admirer before, and from the look of the situation, it seemed impossible that she'd had one this year.<br/>If the man she saw on the roof was her admirer, then things were going to get a bit complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Secret Admirer

I waited behind the door, steeling my nerves.

I’d never had a secret admirer before, much less one who wanted to show himself to me face-to-face. The thought that there was someone on the roof, waiting for me, made me feel anxious and giddy.

With a deep inhale, I reached for the doorknob.

The breath was far from fortifying. I froze on the spot, still trying to steady my hand.

_Who could be waiting for me behind that door?_

I read over the letter. The handwriting looked somewhat familiar—graceful and clean. It might have been Ethan—I’d seen him sign several contracts before. His handwriting looked sharper, though. Could it have been Chris? It might even have been Crash, but I’d never seen his penmanship.

With a sigh, I took my phone out of my pocket, looking at the time. Twelve o’one. No one had tried to follow me up, so they must have already been there.

 _The sooner you go out, the sooner you'll know who it is,_ I reasoned.

Tucking the letter back into my pocket, I closed my eyes and carefully opened the door. I stepped into the open air, which felt deliciously crisp after the stuffy party.

"...Oh."

The rooftop was completely empty, except for a few small tables and a bar near the edge of the building.

I knit my brow, pulling my phone out again. Two minutes after twelve. Casting my eyes around the empty rooftop, I was struck with disappointment.

"But..." I thought aloud, pausing to rub my strawberry-stained lips together. "It's past midnight. My secret admirer said he'd be here..."

Unless, of course, I hadn't even had one in the first place.

I turned back to the door, listening for a hint that anyone was coming. Everything was exactly as I’d left it, and there was nothing to hint that someone was coming upstairs. I was just about to leave when I heard a clink, like someone had just set a glass on a table.

I glanced over my shoulder, noticing that a part of the bar was cut off from what little light the moon and busy streets provided the rooftop.

“Hmm…maybe?” I mumbled, silently making my way to the bar.

I turned the corner to see someone I’d never thought would be in this situation.

Thomas Hunt sat with a glass of scotch in front of him, glaring at the pattern the drink cast onto the table. He’d taken off his jacket and rested it across the counter, keeping his tie loosened and sleeves rolled up.

I tried to keep my distance, but I didn’t want to leave the roof until I knew for certain that my “secret admirer” wasn’t going to be turning up soon.

I deliberately stepped into the light. “Professor Hunt?”

He started, turning to me with a look of disbelief. _“Selene?”_

After a split-second, he regained himself, clearing his throat and changing his look of surprise to one of superiority. “Selene. What are you doing up here?”

Glancing over the rooftop once more, I tried to keep myself under control. “Are you…?”

“Am I what?” He said, drawing my attention again as he straightened his tie.

“Oh, um…” I said, drawing in a hissing breath. It was ridiculous to even consider that Professor Hunt would have done everything the admirer had, much less trim the roses of their thorns.

He looked at me expectantly. “Nothing,” I continued. “I was supposed to meet _someone_ up here, but I guess he didn’t show.”

Hunt raised his head slightly, setting his jaw. “How do you know?”

I cocked my head in confusion. “You’re the only person here, right?”

“Of course I am,” he said calmly.

I swallowed down my disappointment, staring at the floor. His last few comments didn’t make much sense to me, so I tried to shake them off.

“Well…” I said, turning my head to look at the streets below. From his seat at the bar, Hunt stared at me from the corner of his eye, an almost wary edge to the flint-like eyes.

There was always something about the way he’d look at me that seemed to pull the words from my mouth, even if I didn’t see him stare. I walked over to the edge of the roof, leaning on the low stone wall that had been placed there. I stared down at the busy L.A. streets with a sort of absent-minded interest as I spoke.

“I _thought_ tonight was the night we’d finally…I don’t know, _connect,_ but I guess it wasn’t meant to be…”

With a half-hearted shrug, I tore myself from the wall and sat on the barstool near Professor Hunt. He tensed, leaning slightly away from me, and took a long sip of his scotch. Awkwardly I raised a hand to my cheek, rubbing my arm with the other.  He briefly took hold of his jacket, paused, and rejected whatever had crossed his mind as he relinquished his grasp.

“I’d hate to lead you to believe that I’m invested in your pathetic love life,” Hunt piped up, raising his glass and watching the drink swirl. “But…”

I looked over at him, noticing that his brow had furrowed slightly.

“Surely, you and this _‘admirer’_ will get your chance to connect eventually.”

I was taken aback by the tone in his voice when he’d said ‘admirer.’ I didn’t really know how to describe that sort of bittersweet sound, tinged with what might have been considered romantic. Something about the way he’d phrased that made me wistful for something I hadn’t experienced.

“Really? You think so?”

He threw back the rest of his drink, buying time to respond before reaching for the bottle.

“You aren’t the only one alone tonight, Selene,” he said, pouring more scotch with a slight frown. “Just because some dumb kid stood you up doesn’t mean the world is ending or you don’t have people who care about you. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

“I’m not feeling sorry for myself!” I snapped, stiffening on the barstool. “I’m just trying to understand why he wouldn’t meet me here.”

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye condescendingly, setting the bottle back on the table. I glared back.

“Or maybe I was just trying to open up to you for once,” I added sourly, shifting in my seat. “But forget it.”

I started to lift myself from the seat, but he cleared his throat, drawing my attention again.

“You don’t have to leave,” He said seriously, setting his glass on the table.

I paused, debating. I could stay here and continue being patronized by a bull-headed, cocksure professor, several years my senior, or rejoin my friends back down at the party. I wondered if Lisa was getting into any trouble with Aria. Addison was most likely trying to avoid any sleazy-looking guy who came her way. Crash and Ethan were probably taking shots like crazy. Chris must have been trying to fight his way through the crowd of flirtatious women he always seemed to have around him. I could see if those suspicions were right, or I could see how well Professor Hunt handled quality time with his least favorite student.

I took my seat again, resting against the counter. He fidgeted discreetly, taking the glass in his hand, but not raising it to his lips. I sighed silently, looking up at the sky. The lights and fog in the city made it hard to see the stars, quite unlike my hometown. We sat together quietly, sulking over our circumstances. I’d just been stood up, and he…

Well, there must have been some reason as to why he was up on the roof, drinking alone.

The brooding air hanging over us was almost becoming too much to sit through; one of us had to push through the wall between us, at least a little.

I clasped my hands together, swaying a little on the spot.

“You know, you’re not alone,” I said. My voice came out strong, and I was relieved that it didn’t shake.

Professor Hunt stared up from his scotch, his eyes widened with some emotion I couldn’t quite pinpoint. “What?”

“You said you’re alone tonight, but that’s not true.” I raised a hand to my chest. “I’m here.”

“Yes, I suppose you are,” he said tersely.

I tried not to huff at his behavior. “And I bet that if you weren’t so…” I paused, wondering if I could find a gentle way to put this. “So _surly_ all the time, you could’ve spent tonight with someone special.”

He stiffened and glared at me.

“There are people out there who would care about you, if you just let them,” I added, crossing my arms heatedly.

He tightened his scowl, staring at his half-finished scotch. His focus darted around the pattern the streetlights cast through the glass’s etchings.

“Whatever,” I murmured. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Professor Hunt.”

Hunt hesitated indignantly. “…Happy Valentine’s Day, Selene.”

 

Selene’s phone buzzed after a few minutes of silence. She narrowed her brow and stared at the screen.

“Ugh…I have to go,” she said, sliding off the barstool. “Ethan’s drunk.”

“Ethan Blake?” Thomas Hunt asked, “Your agent?”

She turned to respond, but wavered. “I…I never said that.”

“I’d watch what you say more closely in the future,” He raised his glass. “May Gordon will publish whatever she pleases.”

Selene stiffened, insulted.

“Have a good night, Professor,” she said sardonically, striding towards the stairs. Hunt raised his gaze just enough to watch her slip away, the white lace trim of her red dress fluttering behind her.

The door closed, and the professor set his glass on the table as he stood. Leaning where she had on the low brick wall, he stared down at the busy streets beneath the hotel, wondering what she saw. People were either walking or staggering out of the lobby, and cars and taxis waited near the entry. Valets paced near the front doors. There Thomas stood, glowering down at the Hollywood streets shining below him before turning back to face the closed door.

“Well,” he said, grabbing his drink and making a toast. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Selene. Maybe someday things will work out for us both.”

With that, he downed the rest of his drink.

**Author's Note:**

> Featuring my MC, Selene Stark. This is a retelling of the end of the Valentine's Day Quest.  
> I also took the screenshot references for this quest myself.


End file.
